Watch: Triple murderer Anthony Russell caught by armed police sleeping in stolen car
Watch as police swoop to arrest triple-killer Anthony Russell as he sleeps in a car he had stolen
This is the moment a triple killer and rapist from Coventry was caught by armed police sleeping in a stolen car.
Shouts of 'armed police' can be heard as they pounced on the car, smashing windows where Anthony Russell was asleep inside - hiding out after after his evil killing spree.
It marked the end of one of West Midlands Police's biggest ever manhunts as they sought to find the man who murdered a mother and son and raped and murdered another woman.
He went on the run - and police eventually found him in a car, which he had stolen two days previously, during the early hours of October 30 last year in Staffordshire.
Detective Superintendent Shaun Edwards, said: "This was a violent series of killings which happened over a period of just seven days, but which have left two families devastated for the rest of their lives.
"We believe that David was killed due to Russell’s mistaken belief that he was in a relationship with his girlfriend."
Detective Superintendent Edwards said: "When Russell went to speak to Julie about her son’s disappearance, we suspect that he confessed to David’s killing.
"He then killed Julie to stop her from speaking to the police.
"There’s no known link between Russell and Nicole, and it appears to be pure chance that he has encountered her.
"The huge effort that went into tracking Russell down, including national media appeals, can’t be overstated. We worked around the clock to bring him to justice, and I’m glad that that is what has happened today.
"The thoughts of everyone involved in this investigation are with the families of David and Julie, and Nicole, as well as the victims he robbed, today."
Knowing they were dealing with an 'extremely dangerous' man, the force launched one of its biggest ever manhunts to catch him, working with Warwickshire and Staffordshire to catch him.
CCTV was crucial to the case, with over 9,000 hours trawled through over six months to piece together the seven days of violence.
"He was extremely dangerous man, he used extreme violence in all of the offences," the leading officer said.
"He has shown no remorse - indeed when he was questioned by the police, he would not be interviewed, he held a blanket over his head and would not engage with the officers interviewing him."
Russell admitted the three murders, as well as the three robberies and wounding of the carjacking victim.
Today (Thursday March 10) he was also found guilty of the rape of his final victim, Nicole McGregor, on the day he killed her.
He will be sentenced tomorrow at Warwick Crown Court.